1. Technical Field
This invention relates to cable television systems and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for applying remotely controlled and remotely applied interdiction or jamming signals in combination with the use of positive and negative traps as well as other program denial technologies to prevent reception of unauthorized television channels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scrambling Systems
At a headend of a cable television system, a scrambler is normally provided to encode premium television channels. The applied scrambling precludes reception by an unauthorized converter/decoder at a connected premises. Data representing channels or tiers of programming are addressably transmitted to a particular converter/decoder and stored in an authorization memory. As a result of the addressed transmission, a subsequently transmitted program is authorized in that the decoder portion of the converter/decoder will be selectively enabled to decode the scrambled premium channel or program.
Several varieties of scrambling techniques are applied today, and each manufacturer has its own scheme which may be incompatible with others. Nevertheless, the most popular scrambling systems today are based on sync suppression in which the sync information is hidden from the television receiver's sync separator, usually by moving it to a level occupied by picture information (i.e.--moving the sync tip to an equivalent picture level of 40 IRE units). Some systems modulate the video carrier with a sine wave phased to suppress the horizontal blanking interval. Most systems today switch to the suppressed level at the beginning of the blanking interval and switch out at the end. Most though not all suppress the vertical blanking interval. Some systems dynamically invert the video, either on a line-by-line or a field-by-field basis. Dynamic inversion must be done carefully to avoid artifacts caused by inverting and reinverting around different levels as well as the differential gain and phase of the system. Synchronization is restored by providing synchronous amplitude modulated pulses on the audio carrier, digital information placed in the vertical interval or phase modulation on the video carrier.
The disadvantages of such scrambling systems are many. Providing one scrambler per premium channel at the headend and a descrambler in each converter/decoder at the premises of the television receiver is particularly expensive. Furthermore, placing the converter/decoder on premises has been a great temptation to service pirates who imaginatively seek ways to illegally receive premium channels without proper authorization from the service provider. As a result, cable television equipment manufacturers have entered into a veritable war with such pirates resulting in complicated service authorization protocols, which in some instances involve multiple layers of encryption by in-band and/or out-of-band data transmission and which further increase the costs of the converter/decoder.
Another disadvantage of scrambling systems is that most scrambling systems leave artifacts in the horizontal blanking interval in the form of steps on the front and back porches. Normally these are not a problem, but if a television receiver does not have adequate overscan, then the steps can show up as light bars on one or both sides of the picture. Further, if a television receiver uses back porch sampling for automatic gain control and/or black level restoration, and the sampling period extends into the time of the descrambling step, the television will show the wrong black level and the picture may flicker. In systems in which pulse trains are applied to the audio carrier, a buzz carried by harmonics of a 59.94 Hz signal can be noticed in some television receivers.
Consequently, the cable industry has resorted to new technologies and has taken a second look at existing technologies developed in the early stages of cable television. In particular, negative and positive traps have been reexamined for use in modern cable systems as well as more recent techniques such as interdiction systems.
Negative Traps
Negative trap technology is viewed by many manufacturers as a viable alternative to sync suppression scrambling methods. A negative trap is basically a narrow band reject filter. Negative traps are located at or near a subscriber's premises and attenuate a significant portion of an unauthorized premium television channel, thus rendering that channel unusable to the subscriber.
In the conventional embodiment, negative traps are made using L-C filter techniques. The result is a notch filter with finite quality Q and finite shape factor. In the case of a single channel negative trap, the center of the notch is usually located at the video carrier frequency of the channel to be removed. This technique, sometimes called a static negative trap, requires attenuation at the video carrier of at least 60 dB to be effective.
Negative trap systems have several advantages that make them attractive for cable television applications. One primary advantage is the ability to deliver a broadband cable television spectrum to the subscriber's converter/decoder. Conventional sync suppression systems which utilize descrambling set-top converter/decoders deliver inherently narrowband signals. Negative traps may be mounted outside the subscriber'home (typically at the tap) to minimize the exposure associated with placing hardware inside the subscriber's premises, and thus discourage piracy. Some cable television providers view the negative trap as a more secure means of subscriber control than sync suppression, as picture reconstruction, when the video carrier has been attenuated 60 dB, is substantially more difficult.
The disadvantage of a negative trap system is that it requires hardware in locations where no revenue is generated for the cable television system. Moreover, negative traps have several severe technical limitations. L-C band reject filters have Q and shape factor limitations. Quality factors Q for L-C filters are typically limited to less than 30. This means that for a negative trap located at channel 8 (i.e.--video carrier at 181.25 MHz) the 3 dB bandwidth of a negative trap is typically 6 MHz (or the bandwidth of a baseband television channel). Such a trap would result in significant deterioration of the lower adjacent channel. When the television receiver is tuned to the lower adjacent channel it may have to contend with a audio carrier reduced an additional 6 dB rather than the typical 15 dB picture-to-sound ratio.
In addition, the frequency stability of the negative traps as a function of time and temperature is also a significant concern. As a result, many cable television system providers have instituted a regular negative trap change-out program based on the assumption that after a certain period of time and temperature cycling, frequency drift will render negative traps useless or cause interference on adjacent channels. Such a change-out program is both expensive and time consuming.
Cascadability is another significant concern if more that one premium channel is to be secured. Finite return loss and non-zero insertion loss limit the number of single channel negative traps which can be cascaded. As the number of services to be secured increases, the negative trap decreases in appeal. Moreover, a change in a channel line-up requires a significant investment in hardware and man-power as all of the negative traps would have to be physically replaced by the service provider.
Dynamic Negative Traps
Recently, a new type of negative trap, the dynamic negative trap, has been introduced. The dynamic negative trap is a notch filter designed to be modulated with respect to frequency. The notch is centered about the video carrier but is deviated slightly from side to side over a period of time, making the television signal unusable by introducing unwanted amplitude and phase modulation on the video carrier. Dynamic negative traps require a notch depth significantly less than that of static negative traps (40 dB, compared to 60 dB for a static trap). In addition, the intentionally introduced frequency modulation reduces the requirement for frequency stability.
The dynamic negative trap, however, has two major disadvantages. First, a power source must be provided in order to modulate the notch frequency, adding expense to both the design and installation. Second, and of greater significance, the dynamic negative trap may produce parasitic modulation on adjacent television channels, causing degradation of picture quality on those channels which may be unacceptable to a subscriber.
Positive Traps
Another type of trap, the positive trap, also uses a narrow band-rejection notch filter. However, unlike a negative trap which is used to attenuate or trap a premium channel transmission, the notch filter of a positive trap is used to restore the premium television channel. In this scenario, an interfering signal is placed inside the premium television channel at the cable television headened, effectively jamming the premium television channel. The interfering signal is then removed at or near the subscriber's dwelling by the notch filter of the positive trap. Ideally, the notch filter removes only the interfering signal without removing a significant amount of television information.
The positive trap technique has several advantages over the negative trap. Security is enhanced by having the interference present in the secured channels from the cable television distribution plant. In a negative trap system, the premium channels are transmitted "in the clear" from the distribution plant and may be pirated by physically removing the trap from the subscriber's drop. In the positive trap system, the interfering signal effectively jams the premium channels, and a would-be pirate must obtain a positive trap in order to obtain service. In addition, it is very attractive from a financial standpoint to require subscriber hardware only at those locations where a subscriber wishes to receive a secure service. Thus, any capital investment is associated with a point of revenue generation.
The conventional embodiment of the positive trap system utilizes L-C notch filters to remove the interfering signal. These L-C notch filters suffer from the same limitations as do L-C negative traps discussed above. Consequently, L-C based positive traps are limited to the lower end of the cable television spectrum. Quality Q and shape factors have also restricted the number of locations for the interfering signal within the television channel.
One such positive trap system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,311, issued Feb. 14, 1978 to Tanner et al. Tanner teaches locating the interfering signal of the positive trap system between the video carrier and audio carrier. The energy density (and hence information density) in this area of the spectrum is relatively low. One reason this location was chosen was that it minimized the impact of any television information removed along with the interfering signal by the notch filter, and thereby improved the quality of the recovered television signal. It would be expected that the jamming carrier would normally have minimal effect on the adjacent channel television picture unless a television has unusually poor rejection 2.25 MHz above the video carrier.
Despite this location, the quality Q and shape factor limitations of conventional L-C positive traps do remove a significant amount of useful television information. The result is a noticeable "softening" of the television picture as a result of attenuation of high frequency information. Predistortion at the headend can improve this performance but falls far short of being able to correct it completely. This location for the interfering signal also facilitates the job of the video pirate. This pirate can easily tolerate a degraded signal and hence can recover a usable picture using techniques easily available (such as the classic twin lead quarter wave stub with an aluminum foil slider for the fine tuning). In addition, since the frequency of the interfering signal is relatively stable, a pirate need only construct his own LC notch filter (or obtain an LC notch filter stolen from a subscriber's residence) to pirate the premium channel signal. As disclosed by Tanner, the LC notch filter is a completely passive device which does not provide for dynamic or head-end controlled signal jamming.
Interdiction Systems
A relatively recent technique for premium channel control is the interdiction system, so-called because of the introduction of an interfering signal at or near the subscriber's location. One embodiment consists of a pole-mounted enclosure located outside the subscriber's premises designed to serve four or more subscribers. This enclosure contains at least one microprocessor controlled oscillator and switch control electronics to secure several television channels. Control is accomplished by injecting an interfering or jamming signal into unauthorized channels from the pole-mounted enclosure.
For efficiency's sake, it is known to utilize one oscillator to jam several premium television channels. This technique not only reduces the amount of hardware required, but also maximizes the system flexibility. The oscillator output jamming signal frequency is periodically moved from channel to channel. Consequently, the oscillator is frequency agile and hops from jamming one premium channel frequency to the next.
One such system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,481 in which a single frequency agile oscillator provides a hopping gain-controlled jamming signal output to four high frequency electronic switches. In this known system, each switch is associated with one subscriber drop. Under microprocessor control and depending on which subscribers are authorized to receive transmitted premium programming, the microprocessor selectively gates the jamming signal output of the single oscillator via the switches into the path of the incoming broadband television signal to each subscriber. Consequently, an unauthorized subscriber upon tuning to a premium channel will receive the premium channel on which a jamming signal at approximately the same frequency has been superimposed.
In the known system, as many as sixteen channels may be jammed by a single voltage controlled frequency agile oscillator. With respect to one premium channel, this translates to a situation in which the jamming signal can only be present one sixteenth of the time or an approximately 6% jamming interval (so-called "jamming factor"). The rate of hopping is also indicated at 100 bursts per second of jamming signal at a particular frequency or a 100 hertz hopping rate. Consequently, the effectiveness of the jamming signal is questionable.
For a subscriber who receives one or more premium channels, changes service levels frequently (i.e.--due to promotional pricing policies for premium channels which have lately become popular), or receives "pay-per-view" programming (i.e.--sporting events such as boxing) such an interdiction system is economically feasible as it allows for flexible, headend control of the subscriber's service level. However, for other subscribers, who receive only "basic" service or one premium channel, and rarely change service levels, such a complicated interdiction system is unnecessary. Further, if several premium channels are offered, and a subscriber receives none of them, the oscillator must jam more channels, allowing less time for jamming each individual channel (reduced "jamming factor").
Cable television channels and, of course, premium service may extend over a wide range of frequencies, for example, from 100 to 350 megahertz. In a known system, the single oscillator provided must be frequency agile over a wide range. Further, in order to prevent adjacent channel interference, the oscillator frequency must be controlled to be within a range of approximately 100-500 KHz band above or below the nominal jamming carrier frequency. Consequently, a synthesizer having an internal reference is provided to assure the reasonable accuracy of the frequency of the jamming signal carrier output by the oscillator.
The jamming signal is typically at a high relative power and is gain controlled to exceed the amplitude of the video carrier by 5 to 20 dB. Because of the high power output relative to the premium channel video carrier power and the difficulty of jamming the premium channel frequency precisely, such an interdiction system leaves considerable opportunity for improvement. Because the oscillator is frequency hopping, its spectrum tends to spread out around the video carrier and may cause adjacent channel interference.
Jamming oscillators usually operate near the video carrier frequency of the television signal and preferably at an amplitude near the amplitude of the television signal. Should the amplitude of a jamming oscillator be too low with respect to the amplitude of the video carrier, inadequate jamming of the channel may occur, resulting in a recoverable video by the subscriber. On the other hand, should the amplitude of a jamming oscillator be too high with respect to the amplitude of the video carrier, artifacts may be generated in unsecured adjacent television channels. Such is also the case when the frequency of a jamming oscillator varies from the video carrier frequency of a channel to be jammed.
It had been considered important in an interdiction system that the jamming signal frequency be placed as close as possible to the video carrier frequency. Otherwise, adjacent channel artifacts or incomplete jamming may result. In the known system, the jamming signal is intentionally placed below the video carrier and consequently approximate to an adjacent channel producing adjacent channel artifacts.
It is also important that a variable frequency oscillator in an interdiction system hop between frequencies quickly and accurately with little harmonic frequency effects. Otherwise, adjacent channel artifacts or incomplete jamming will result. Furthermore, by using only one jamming oscillator, only a limited, small number of channels may be jammed. The known system uses a conventional voltage controlled oscillator controlled by conventional frequency control techniques. Furthermore, in the known system, a maximum six percent jamming interval results when sixteen premium channels are jammed by the single oscillator at a relatively slow rate of frequency hopping. In such a system, the resulting depth of jamming for an unauthorized premium channel is unsatisfactory.
Additionally, it is important in an interdiction system that the jamming signal be properly matched in gain with the level of an interdicted channel. Furthermore, it is important that gain of a jamming oscillator match the level of an interdicted channel not only to compensate for drifts in the components due to temperature variations and seasonal weather changes but to compensate for level variations due to its location in a television distribution plant and to compensate for tilt due to imperfect gain requirements of a distribution cable over the frequency spectrum. Otherwise, adjacent channel artifacts or incomplete jamming will result. In the known system, conventional gain sensing and control circuits are used for gain control to compensate only for the simplest of variations.
In the prior art system, the jamming frequency is controlled to place the interference as close as possible to the video carrier to maximize jamming of the video signal. Jamming of the audio carrier is either not considered or is of secondary consideration. In TV sets using an intercarrier mixer or detector to regenerate the video carrier, a jamming carrier placed within a few hundred kiloHertz of the video carrier will effectively jam both the audio and video signals. However, some modern television sets use a synchronous detector with PLL circuitry to regenerate the video carrier. In these sets, the synchronous detector removes the jamming carrier from the audio signal, and only the video portion will be jammed.
For some premium channels, it may be particularly desirable to jam the audio as well as the video. Music video channels, for instance, are still of use to an unauthorized subscriber if only the video portion is jammed. With other premium channels, jamming of both the audio and video portions may also be desired. For example, when jamming so-called "adult" channels, it may be preferable to jam both the video and audio portions so that unauthorized subscribers cannot see or hear the program and so that those who find such programming distasteful are not offended by any such programming while scanning through the channels.
One solution to provide audio jamming would be to select the audio carrier frequency of the channel to be jammed as one of the jamming frequencies to be selected by the oscillator when frequency hopping. This approach has two drawbacks. First, the jamming signal would have to be attenuated approximately 15 dB when jamming an audio carrier frequency, otherwise the jamming signal would produce interference on adjacent channels. In order to attenuate the jamming signal for audio jamming, additional hardware would be necessary to control the amplitude of the jamming signal when switching from video to audio jamming. Even if the amplitude of the jamming signal could be effectively controlled, the process of hopping from one frequency to another effectively adds amplitude modulation to the jamming carrier, adding a structure of energy in sidebands surrounding the jamming carrier. At least a portion of the sideband energy may fall in the upper adjacent channel spectrum, causing interference even if the amplitude of the jamming signal has been reduced. Second, by jamming the audio carrier, the video carrier may not be effectively jammed. In order to jam both audio and video carrier, the oscillator would have to jam both carriers separately while frequency hopping. As a result, some audio or video signals can get through and the number of channels that may be jammed by a particular oscillator may be reduced by a factor of two which may be undesirable or unacceptable.
Another disadvantage of the known interdiction system is that the circuitry required is relatively complex and hence expensive. For those subscribers who take pay services, and particularly for those who take multiple pay services and/or pay-per-view, the use of expensive interdiction equipment makes sense. However, there are many subscribers who take only basic service or a limited number of pay services (i.e.--one service) and are not likely to change service levels often. An expensive addressable interdiction system is not necessary to serve such subscribers and thus creates an unnecessary expense for the pay television provider.
A further disadvantage of both the known scrambling and known interdiction systems is that the extra cost of the complicated circuitry (descrambling circuitry or interdiction circuitry) may not always be justified by a particular installation. For example, some subscriber locations, such as private residences, may present a higher risk of attempted piracy, and thus a relatively complex scrambling and/or interdiction system may be justified. Other subscribers, such as commercial institutions (i.e.--nursing home) may present a very low risk of attempted piracy, and thus only a simple, low cost trap may be used. If sophisticated scrambling and/or interdiction techniques are used by a pay television provider, the cost incurred in using such technology on "low risk" subscribers is unnecessary and could be avoided by used a low level (and lower cost) security device such as a trap.
Further, reliance on any one method of system security by the pay television subscriber presents a risk of system-wide compromise. If the security system is compromised, the pay television provider must upgrade the entire system to recover system security. If a plurality of security measures were available, the pay television provider could upgrade the system technology only in those "high risk" areas of the system, and continue to use low level or compromised technology for subscribers who present a low risk of attempted piracy.